Vertically adjustable and laterally slidable shelf structure



Nov. 25, 1958 R. J. CARBARY 2,861,695

VERTICALLY ADJUSTABLE AND LATERALLY- SLIDABLE SHELF STRUCTURE Filed Aug.25, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 B22/Maud JM Nov. 25, 1958 R. J. cARBARY2,861,695

VERTICALLY ADJUSTABLE AND LATERALLY SLIDABLE SHELF STRUCTURE Filed Aug.25, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 N INVENToR. m 5 :l f (kw-afg Nov. 25, 1958 R.J. CARBARY VERTICALLY ADJUSTABLE AND LATERALLY Filed Aug. 25, 1955SLIDABLE SHELF STRUCTURE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 cc cccc tc i INVENToR.

VERTICALLY ADJUSTABLE AND LATERALLY Y SLIDABLE SHELF STRUCTURE RichardJ. Carbary, La Grange, Ill., assgnor to General Electric Company, acorporation of New York Application August 25,1955, serial No. 530,508

l 7 claims. (cl. :i1- 143) This invention relates to verticallyadjustable and laterally slidable shelf structures, and, in particular,to a shelf structure in which the lateral movement of the shelf mayautomatically elfect the vertical adjustment of the shelf.

Although shelf structures embodying my invention are not limited to anyparticular environment, their ease of operation and capacity for almostinfinite vertical adjustment make them very useful in domesticrefrigerators in which it is almost a requisite for commercial successto provide sliding shelves to facilitate access to items occupying therear areas of the shelves, and easily vertically adjustable shelves toincrease or decrease the vertical space between the shelves of therefrigerator. There are,;o f course, numerous examples of sliding shelfconstructions in the art, but vertical adjustments are usuallyaccomplished byI means of fixed ladder supports which require the shelfto be completely removed from the refrigerator and reinserted at the newlevel. Usually, such an operation requires that the shelf be cleared ofits contents before it is removed from the refrigerator. The removal ofthe items and the replacement of them on the shelf when ,the shelf is inits adjusted position are not only bothersome tasks but require therefrigerator door lto be open for a substantial period'of time.

Itisl an object of the present invention to provide a cabinetvshelfadjustment means infwhich the shelf may be adjusted vvertically ineither directionmerely by -the lateral-movement of the shelf as it ispartially withdrawn from the cabinet and returned thereinto.

It is another object of the ,invention to provide a slidableandvertically adjustable shelf in whichvertical adjustment may or may notresult from kthe slidingmovement of the shelf at the option of the user;

It is `a further object of the invention to provide a slidable andvertically adjustable shelf in which the shelf is capable of 'an almostinfinite number of vertical adjustments.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide a slidable andvertically adjustable shelf which may be Withdrawn from its supportmeans to any extent'up to apredetermined maximum and in which the extentto which the shelf is withdrawn may establish the degree of verticaladjustment.

It is still a further object of the invention to provide a' slidable andvertically adjustable shelf in which it is not necessary to remove anyof the articles from the shelf to elect the vertical adjustment thereof.

f It-is yet another object of the invention to provide a slidable-l andvertically adjustable shelf having a s imple ngercontrol by which theuser may if 'desired'utili'ze the sliding movement of ther shelf toeffect thervertical,A adjstmentthereof.

AThese-aifid other objectives maybe acco'mplished'fln Y presentlypreferred 'embodiment byY utilizing a pair` of xed vertical standards orsupports spaced apart slightly mgr the width -vof the shelf. Thestandards have ICC a similar screw-threading throughout the verticalextent thereof representing the desired limits of vertical shelf'Associated with each of the standards so as to be slidable thereon is ashelf guide which slidablyv adjustment.

receives a side edge of the shelf. The respective guides are supportedon the standards by a nut screw-threadedly engaging the standardandmechanically associated with' the guides so that the nuts comprise thevertical supports for the guides. Such mechanical association alsoinsures that when a nut is rotated in one or another direction and thustravels along the standard, the asso-A ciated guide is constained `tofollow. Means `are provided to cause the sliding movement of the shelft0 rotate each of the nuts an equal amount, whereby to effect uniformvertical movement of the shelf guides and' thereon-carried shelf, oroptionally to make such sliding movement ineffective to rotate either ofthe nuts, whereupon the shelf would remain in its established position.ySaid means includes a finger-operated device which Vtranslates thesliding movement of the shelf into rotation of the nut. It will beobvious that with proper use of the last-named device, the nut may berotated during'a movement of the shelf outwardly of the standards orduring the return movement of the shelf toward the standards, whereuponthe direction and extent of rotation of the nut and correspondingdirection and extent of vertical travel of the shelf along the standardsmay be established. Other features and objectives will be apparent fromthe following detailed description of presently preferred embodiments ofthe invention, read in connection withk the accompanying drawings inwhich:

Fig. l is a front elevation, partly in section, of a portion-of acabinet and the supporting standards showing the shelfguides and withthe nut actuating means in engaged position; H

Fig. 2 is a partial plan view showing the shelf and associated guidemeans, portions of the shelf and ofone of the guide means having beenbroken away to reveal underlying structure; v I f Fig. 3 is afragmentary side elevation of one of the shelf guide meansandassociatedfshelf and supporting standard with portions of the shelfguide means having been broken away to reveal underlyingstructure;

Fig. 4 is a schematic plan View showing the relation-A structure isillustrated in a cabinet 1, which may, for eX ample, be what is known inthe art as the inner liner of a refrigerator cabinet, the outer walls ofwhich are not shown. The cabinet or liner 1 includes side walls 2, 3,

rear wall 4, and top andY bottom walls (not shown). A conventional door(not shown) will be provided as a front closure. Except for the angularside wall bulges 2.1 and 3.1 which extend the full height of thecabinetor'linerl, the liner is conventional. j

Vertical standards or* columns 5 aredisposed at each side ofthecabinetwithinthe respective sidewall bulges; said columns are rigidlysecured to the upper and lower cabinetlwalls or other supportsbyangesfor the vlikeY (not shown). The respective columns mayVadvantageously compriseattened cylindrical rods and each -is identicallyscrew-threaded with -a cut screw of suitable pitch.. As shown best inFigs, 1 and 3the screw forma#Y tion provides substantial smooth areaA 6alon'gtwhich the: shelf,L guide structures maygsvmoothly slide, laspresently explained.

Ashelf guide 7 is carried by each column. The shelf guides areadvantageously formed of relatively heavy stamped metal and areessentially channel shape for rigidity. Asappearsin Fig. 6, therespective shelfl guides comprisea central web portion y8 arrangedtobear against a flattened side wall of the associated column and upper`and lower web portions9, 10, respectively, formed with` thevtabsill, 12,which, as best shown in Fig. 6, ernv bra,c,:e tl1ev column 5,. Eachsaidtab includes-a suitable sleeve portion (see 11.4and 12.1, Fig. 3)for slidably engaging said column., It will be obvious that theengagementof the web 8 andthe tabs 11 and 12 with the Hat side ofthecolumn 5, secures each guide 7 against rotation onrthecolumn andrthatthe wide spacing of the:tabs,11,and12 best shown in Fig.- 3, offerssupport of theguide: against Lundesirable tilting.

Theguidesare providedgwith guideblocks 14,. 15 at' theends-` thereof.Said guide blocks act as shelf bearings .and-maybe molded of nylon orVthe like, or'fabricated as metalbearing elements.. As shown, the guideblocks have rounded end portions respectively identified as I14.1 and15.1 and rounded chain guides 14.2 and 15.2. Theblocks 14 and 15 arefirmly secured to the web 8 as .by suitable screws 13, or equivalent.

Arcylindrical nut 16,is operatively associatedwith eachcolumn 5 and isloosely conned within the web 8 of the associated guide 7. Conveniently,the association maybeestablished and maintained by having the nut occupyan opening 17 in the web 8; the upper and lower walls of said openinginclude tabs 17.1 which extend over the upper and lower flanges 16.1 ofthe nut 16. Means for rotating the nut on the column 5 comprise thesprocket teeth 18 formed on the cylindrical barrel of the nut and anendless chain 19 of the bead chain, variety,v looped twice about thebarrel in engagement with the sprocket teeth and passed over the chainguides 14.2 and 15.2. As best shown in Fig. 2, a substantial length ofsaid chain extends parallel to the flange 8, of the` associated guideblock. The sprocket teeth and associated chain may be termed the nutactuator, because it is obvious that drawing on the chain 19 ineither'horizontal direction will rotate the nut 16 and cause it totraversethe column 5 in accordance with the direction of rotation., Itwill be obvious also that the travel of the nut will cause Ythe travelof the guide 7 therewith. It'isdesirable that the columns 5, guides 7,and nutsI 16 `be identical to reduce manufacturing and inventoryproblems. This is possible if the chains 19 are looped about thesprocket teeth in the fashion indicatedvinAFig. 4, whereby the movementof the chains 19 in the same direction will produce the, proper rota-vtion of the associated nuts to insure uniform direction and extent oftravel along the columns 5.

The respective guides 7 are for the express purpose of guiding'theisliding movement of an associated shelf in a -planenormal to thecolumnsS and, as earlier stated, the sliding movement of the shelf Vmayoptionally be used t :raise or lower the guides 7 on the associatedcolumns. -v As bestshown in Figs. 2 and 3, the shelf 20 is .a simpleadaptation of the conventional refrigerator shelf.l A channel rim 21extends along each side andv across-the rearvof the shelf. The depth ofthe channel, assshown in Fig. 3, smoothly receives the portions 14.1 and15.1 of the guide blocks which therefore provide spaced..bearingsalongwhich the shelf may be slid. The fronttrim. 22 is applied asV a handleVor hand-grip portion. A fsuitable stopl 21.1 within eachV side channellimits the 'extent of movement of shelf 20 outwardly of f Meansare-provided to engage the chain 19 by an. ele-- ters a cam slot 28formed in a cam plate 29 extending.

through a guide slot 26.1 in the' shelf element 26. The

Y cam slot comprises two equal branches sloping equally outwardly towardthe rear, as viewed in Fig. 2: Ears 30 struck from the plate 29 serve asstops to limit the sliding movement of the cam plate forwardly of theshelf, as viewed in Fig. 2. The cam plate is attached to, or may beintegral with, a at slide arm 31 which extends-slidably through legportion 22.1 of theshelf front 22 asy indicated in Fig.13. Said'slidearm termi# nates in a hook 33 (Fig; 3)bel0wY said'fron't 22. A re'turn spring 34 disposed n an`opening'35 in the arm" 31 and held hereinby tongues 36 or the like, biases'the' arm for movement `rearwardlyofthe shelf, asviewed' in Fig. 5.

When thev arm31'and cam plate 29 occupy their nor# mal position, therods V23will each have beenoperated inwardly ofthe side walls Voftheshelf 20 by the action of the associated cam slot- 28.V Such inwardmovementdisengages the forked portions 24 from the adjacent beadv chain.In this situation, theshelf 20 Vmay be freely drawn forwardly of, andreturned to, the columns 5 without lin any way affecting the position ofthe shelf guides 7, for it is obvious that such shelf vmovement will bewithout effect on rthe chains19 which therefore remain` stationary.

However, if it isA desired to vertically adjustl the-shelf: 20 on'thecolumns 5, the operator grasps the'tngerpiecet 33 of the slide arm 31and draws the-slide arm'outwardly'f which causes the cam plate 29 toAextendthe two-`rods 23,v so Vthat the forked ends 24thereof=engage-thechaih 19,v as .shown in Fig. 2.v When-the rshelf isthereupon drawnrforwardly of the columns 5, the chain 19 `wi1l be causedto move ina fashion rotating the'respectivenuts 16.` This will causefavertical movement of -the shelfvvv guides andthe assocated-shelf alongthe columnY 5.-4 The direction and extent of such movement depends ofcourse on the pitch and direction ofthe screwhthread of the@ column 5.If the initial sliding movement` of the rshelf does ,not `produce `thedesired extent of vertical adjust# ment., the operator releases'the arm31,*permittingY-spring' 34 to return the cam. plate to its homepositionin which the rods are withdrawn4 from the chains'19, and 'slidesthe, shelf inwardly of VtheV cabinet.. This'inward move-'-v mentiswithout effectromth'e shelfiguidesf7 because; thel respective chains19 are stationary. Then by againi dra-wa* ingoutwardly on the arm 31 tocause camfplate 29 .again to extend therods 23, the. chains are.' again'engaged and another slidable outward` displacementofV the shelf .20'A

will produce another vertical displacementof the shelf; Thisv can berepeatedaas'` often as necessary; and of course a relatively. fineverticali guides and associatedshelf.

adjustment may be laccomplishedr by withdrawing? the shelf onlypartially and then releasing lthe arm 31 so that; the chains 19v becomedisengaged.` The shelf may beA returned to home position within thecabinet without, of course, further affecting the vertical adjustmentthereof.

Itwillbe, obvious thatifthe shelf adjustment is toV be.

made. in the reversedirection, the operator; need only toi withdraw theshelf 20 tofitspermitted limit beforeactuat-g' ing the arm 31 to extendthe rods 23, whereupon,Y the return movement of the shelf will rotatethe nut inthe opposite direction and effect the Y oppositeY verticaltravel of the shelf guides and shelf.

While there has,beendescribedwhatris latp'prersenft conf sidered to bethe preferred embodiment 'O f the invention,

it will be understood that various modifications may be made therein,and it is intended to cover in the appended claims all suchmodifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A vertically adjustable and laterally slidable shelf structure,comprising fixed, vertical, screw-threaded support means, shelf guidemeans carried by said vertical support means for slidable verticaltravel thereon, said guide means including a nut in screw-threadedrelation with said support means to effect vertical travel of said guidemeans along said support means according to the direction of rotation ofsaid nut, a shelf carried by said guide means for sliding movementthereon in either of two directions normal to said support means,actuator mechanism engaging said nut and disposed between said shelf andsaid nut for rotating said nut in one or another direction according tothe direction of horizontal movement of said shelf, and means carried bysaid shelf to selectively effect the operation of said actuatormechanism and associated nut in a direction determined solely by thedirection of horizontal movement of said shelf relative to said nut.

2. A vertically adjustable and laterally slidable shelf, comprisingfixed, vertical, screw-threaded support means, shelf guide meansincluding a nut in screw-threaded relation with said support means toeffect vertical travel of said guide means along said support meansaccording to the direction of rotation of said nut, means including anendless chain engaging with said nut for rotating said nut, a shelfstructure carried by said guide means for sliding movement normal tosaid support means, means for mechanically connecting said shelfstructure to said nut rotating chain to effect rotation of said nut uponsliding said shelf, said means including a bar member movable into orout of engagement with said chain, and means for optionally moving saidbar member into or out of such engagement, whereby the sliding movementof said shelf may or may not be used to rotate said nut, at the decisionof the operator.

3. A vertically adjustable and laterally slidablev shelf according toclaim 2, in which said chain is of the bead chain variety, and said barmember has a forked end portion which engages said chain betweensuccessive beads.

4, A vertically adjustable and laterally slidable shelf structure,comprising fixed, vertical, screw-threaded support means, shelf guidemeans carried by said support means for slidable vertical travelthereon, said guide means including a nut in screw-threaded relationwith said support means to effect vertical travel of said guide meansalong said support means according to the direction of rotation of saidnut, a shelf carried by said guide means for sliding movement normal tosaid support means, actuating means for rotating said nut in one oranother direction according to the direction of sliding movement of saidshelf, said actuating means including a toothed portion on said nut, andan endless chain engaging said nut and arranged in said guide means witha portion of said chain extending in proximity to said shelf in thedirection of sliding movement of said shelf, a fork member movablymounted on said shelf, manually operable means for moving said forkmember into'engagement with said chain to cause movement of said chainrelative to said nut upon sliding movement of said shelf, whereby toeffect rotation of said nut, and means for establishing a normalposition of said fork member out' of engagement with said chain topermit sliding movement of said shelf independent of said nut actuator.

5. A vertically adjustable and laterally slidable shelf structure,comprising horizontally spaced and mutually aligned non-circularvertical columns having a continuous screw thread, a shelf guide foreach of said columns, each of said guides including a channel memberslidably secured to the associated column in right angular relationshiptherewith, means including vertically spaced sleeve members extendingfrom said channel member about said standard to maintain said shelfguide against undesirable tilting relative to said column, a nutrotatably mounted within each said channel in screw-threaded associationwith said column, sprocket means on said nut, a continuous chain inpermanent engagement with said sprocket, means to effect rotation ofsaid nut on said column upon movement of said chain relative to saidcolumn, means for guiding said chain for movement over a fixed pathwithin said channel member, a shelf slidably carried by and between therespective channel members for sliding movement in either of twodirections normal to said column, said directions being parallel to aportion of said chain, means on said shelf to grip said chain to enforcemovement thereof during movement of said shelf, and means for optionallyactuating said chain gripping means to grip or release said chain.

6. A vertically adjustable and laterally slidable shelf structure,comprising fixed, vertical, support means, shelf guide means carried bysaid support means for slidable vertical travel thereon, a shelf carriedby said guide means for horizontal sliding movement thereon in either oftwo directions relative to said support means in a plane normal thereto,shelf guide positioning means rotatably held by said guide means inengagement with said support means to raise or lower said guide meansaccording to the direction of rotation of said positioning means,mechanism for rotating said positioning means, and means carried by saidshelf and engageable with said mechanism to operate the same forrotating said positioning means in a desired direction solely by asliding movement of said shelf.

7. A vertically adjustable and laterally slidable shelf structure,comprising fixed, vertical, screw-threaded support means, a nut on saidsupport means, shelf guide means carried by said vertical support meansfor slidable travel thereon, said shelf guide means rotatably confiningsaid nut whereby rotation of said nut will effect vertical displacementof said shelf guide means according to the direction of rotation of saidnut, said shelf guide means, further, having a horizontally disposedguide member, a shelf slidably carried in said guide member for movementtoward or away from said support means, nut actuator mechanism includingan elongated member carried by said shelf guide means for horizontalmovement relative to said nut and means for drivingly connecting saidmember to said nut, whereby horizontal movement of said actuator membereffects rotation of said nut in a direction established by the directionof horizontal movement of said member relative thereto, means mounted onsaid shelf for mechanically connecting said shelf to said actuatormember for movement of said member by horizontal sliding movement ofsaid shelf in said guide member, and means for optionally connecting ordisconnecting said shelf-mounted means and said actuator member. i

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,421,012 Koepsell June 27, 1922 1,777,529 Neldner Oct. 7, 19302,066,303 Schulz Dec. 29, 1936 2,182,003 Roark Dec. 5, 1939 2,564,831Butkus Aug. 21, 1951 2,609,267 Hallock Sept. 2, 1952

